Losing is tough in the NFL, and on Sunday, December 14, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs dropped their must-win game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium in a 16-13 final score. This was the game that would have kept the Chiefs in postseason contention if they had won it, but now, for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, the Kansas City Chiefs will not be in the playoffs.
It was a heartbreaking loss, and to make it even worse, Mahomes was injured in the final moments of the game. “An MRI has confirmed that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in today’s game,” the Chiefs said in an official announcement on X shortly after the game.
On Monday, December 15, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Mahomes would be getting a second opinion on his torn left ACL before having surgery.”
But, even aside from the Mahomes injury, it was a dismal day for the Kansas City Chiefs. Following the game, Kelce was emotional and made a decision that may come back to haunt him.
Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs May Regret Postgame Decision
Following the game, Kelce refused to talk to the press. According to a report from Jesse Newell of The Athletic, Kelce told reporters, “It’s not the time. I’ll catch you guys during the week.”
That may not seem like a big deal, but not talking to the press goes against the NFL’s rules. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, all NFL players, expect for those in concussion protocol, are required to talk to reporters after each and every game, as stated by the NFL. Florio also reported that Kelce didn’t speak to reporters at least two other times this season.
So, Kelce has turned down interviews with the press following games at least three times this season. While he hasn’t been punished yet, this final time may get him in trouble with the NFL.
Each Saturday during the NFL season, the league hands out specific punishments to players for their actions in the prior week’s games. So, on Saturday, December 20, Kelce will find out if he’s getting punished by the NFL for skipping a chat or if he gets off free again. Frankly, considering that the Chiefs-Chargers game was such a heartbreaker for Kelce, it would be out-of-the-norm for the NFL to slap him with a punishment for not talking to the media, but it’s certainly possible.
Where the Kansas City Chiefs Go From Here
Following the Chiefs’ loss to the Chargers at home, Reid was honest about where the teams need to go from here.
His message was that the team “came up short” and “had a few mistakes,” but that “they battled. Wasn’t for a lack of effort or battling, (we) just had some mistakes that cost us.”
Reid added that they have “got to do better” as a team and convert red zone opportunities into points. “Again, that’s my responsibility to make sure that you don’t have these kinds of mistakes, so I’ll look in the mirror first on this.”
